The excitement was palpable as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri secured pole position in Bahrain, putting the team in a prime spot for what could be their first win on home soil.
With both McLaren cars expected to dominate the grid, the question wasn’t whether they would secure the top spots, but who would take pole.
Piastri’s Pole Position and Norris’ Mistake
While Piastri claimed his second career pole, his teammate Lando Norris didn’t quite have the perfect run.
Norris made an error in the first sector of his final flying lap, resulting in a disappointing sixth place.
The British team, backed by the Bahraini royal family, had expected better from both drivers.
Russell’s Close Call and Leclerc’s Move Up
Mercedes’ George Russell had an impressive qualifying session, clocking in second, but a pit lane infringement saw him dropped to third.
This allowed Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to move up to second place, while Kimi Antonelli for Mercedes and Pierre Gasly for Alpine rounded out the top five.
Verstappen’s Struggles and Hamilton’s Position
Max Verstappen, who dominated the last two races in Bahrain, was in a world of trouble.
The four-time world champion could only manage seventh for Red Bull, complaining about significant issues with his car.
“There’s something really wrong with my car,” Verstappen said.
“My brakes are terrible. I can’t brake.”
Lewis Hamilton, racing for Ferrari, was also off the pace, qualifying ninth, six-tenths behind Leclerc.
Ocon’s Crash and the Rest of the Grid
There was drama further down the grid as Esteban Ocon crashed out during Q2.
The French driver lost control at Turn 2 and hit the barrier.
Although he was slow to exit the car, Ocon was unhurt, and the session was delayed by a red flag as his car was cleared.
British teenager Ollie Bearman, driving for Haas, ended up at the bottom of the grid, while Alex Albon from Williams had his first Q1 exit of the season, starting from 15th.
The stage is set for a thrilling race ahead!